Education secretary Gavin Williamson has justified not giving teachers a pay rise next year because he says it would significantly widen the existing gap between public and private pay.
In a letter to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), the independent body that advises on teacher pay, Mr Williamsonsaid this approach would allow the government to protect public sector jobs and public services.
he acknowledgesthat teachershave made a “huge contribution to the nation’s efforts” during the Covid pandemic and that theyhave “shown extraordinary dedication and flexibility in adapting to different ways of working, while continuing to provide high-quality education for all pupils during this uniquely difficult period”.
Unions: Freezing pay would be ‘a slap in the face’ for teachers
Exclusive: Pay driving out ‘pissed off’ older teachers
Teacher pay:Long-serving teachers won’t get Rishi Sunak’s 3.1 per cent pay rise
Yethesays: “As the chancellor set out, Covid-19 is significantly impacting the economy, labour market and the fiscal position and has surpressed earnings growth and increased redundancies in the private sector.
Gavin Williamson recommends no teacher pay rise
“If we carried on with blanket across-the-board pay rises, the existing gap between the public sector rewards and the private sector would widen significantly.
“This approach will also allow us to protect public sector jobs and public services.Therefore, it is right to temporarily pause pay awards for the majority of the public sector as we assess the impact Covid-19 has had on the wider economy and labour market.”
Mr Williamson says the pause would onlyapply to “headline pay uplifts” and thatother payments, such as progression pay and allowances, will continue as before.
Mr Williamsonalso indicates that the £30,000 starting salarymay not kick in from 2022, as previously pledged.
He says: “Although pay restraint means that progress towards achieving £30,000 starting salaries will be slower, I am still committed to raising pay for new entrants to make teaching an attractive graduate option.”
Chancellor RishiSunak announced lastmonth that there would be a public sector pay freeze, apart from for doctors and nurses anda further £2.1 million forpublic sector workers who earn below £24,000 -who will receive a pay rise of at least £250.
In the letter, addressed toSTRB chair Patricia Rice,Mr Williamsonadds: “We would welcome your views on uplifts for those earning the full-time equivalent of basic earnings of less than £24,000. We propose to continue pay uplifts for these teachers at a value of £250 or the National Living Wage increase, whichever is higher.”
